Theological Smoke

An easy answer, the world's mot beautiful church edifice, St. Paul's cathedral, London. It's great dome is as large and majestic as St. Peters in Rome. The original church honoring the Apostle Paul, was built in 604 AD, destroyed by fire. From it's ashes, early 17^th century, Christopher Wrenn designed the present structure, which from 1700 – 1962 was the tallest building in London. Many of us will remember the funerals of Lord Earl Mountbatten and Winston Churchill and the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana held there.

Just down the street is another cathedral designed by Christopher Wrenn, St. Margaret's, an evangelical church. Tourists line up to view St. Pauls for a fee of $20.00.

Every mind, if in the least normal, constantly thinking-contemplating. Why do so many occupy prisons, mental hospitals, military barracks. A new group of occupiers, “so called” Wall Street occupiers now occupy the area around St. Pauls cathedral which now called by Anglican prelates a welcoming area of discourse as, all over the world, occupying because of historical geography. The bishop and dean of the cathedral first refused admission to the disgruntled, disguised, disdained of society. But then, as always, the mantra catapulted, “What Would Jesus Do?”. We do not know what Jesus would do, a man who never protested anything (at His own trial, said nothing) never traveled very far from where He was born, never led an army, never wrote a book, but armies of the world have marched in His defense, no library large enough to hold the books written about Him.

Beyond the smokescreen of Theology, we know the certainty, brevity, and eternity of life. Known in the mind of God, chosen for gestation, the believer in God is born twice (physical birth and born again) but only dies once. (clinical death) The unbeliever, born once, twice dying. (clinical death and eternal damnation) Of course, the occupiers like any of us, think they will never die and that, at death, their soulless body would just become compost.

Little do they realize that these great cathedrals as well as small crossroads churches, around the world, were built by the tithes and offerings of people invested in and committed to the cross of Christ. Much of the world has become void of idealism of any kind, physical or spiritual. A religious prolificate, such as Joel Osteen, does not preach the cross nor do you see a cross in the auditorium in which he performs. A political stalemate, such as an Obama shuns both religious and political symbolism, honoring neither the cross nor the flag. In his narcissistic world of “me-ism”...godless theism, commitment to idealism in worship is as foreign from his mind as the idealism of the preservation of the life of the unborn..

The Christian, the Holy Spirit of God grafted into the old body of sin and disbelief overcomes the foibles of this world as a new creation. We all know the difficulties of escaping the smokescreen of this theology... even the Apostle Paul. This very cathedral named for him. (Romans 7: 19-20) For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do. Now if I do that I would not, it is no more I that do it, but sin that dwelleth in me.

Ethical behavior is as important in the market place as in religion. Individual wealth always comes because of common good... productive living as well as giving... a life of preparation in order to toil and give.

No one refutes that there has been an exploitation of the poor in history but, Adam Smith, a moral philosopher, promoted the idealism of stewardship, the discovery of social conscience... profitable-producers-supporters of the church and other charities.

Many need God to ratify their actions, more interested in God believing in them than they believing in God, thinking they are doing God a favor by giving time, talent, or treasure to Him.

Children of the depression know the honor of service, hard work, denial of self. In this day, when even children have cell phones in their pockets, this writer well remembers children never having seen or talked on a telephone.

50 million voters can elect a president, nearly 45 million are on food stamps, 47 percent of the population pay no income tax. Now we know who elects presidents. Small doses of welfare, like small doses of Christianity never heal anything. From the pulpit down every pew, to the back door of the church, a better theology, a smoke-free-clear theology. Forget the action-pretending of the “outer court”, choirs-suppers-meetings and go into the “inner-court” where there is only an altar.